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What kind of bolt?

02-24-2009, 12:53 PM

Im going to be putting a bunch of small bolts/screws into the bottom of a semi trailer. They will be exposed to all kinds of weather and road spray. Once in, most will stay there but the ones along the outside rail may need to be removed for occasional maintenance. What can I screw into steel and still be able to remove a year or so later? Stainless, brass, something not yet invented?

More info, are we going into a blind hole? Self-tapping bolts? Are you going to have access to the other side, maybe use nuts???

Generally, I try to stay away from SS, they tend to gall, and when you try to force them out, they break. More of a PITA to deal with afterwards. They won't cut with a torch, hard to drill, and if they're galled, not backing out no matter what you do.

If only a year between in and out, just stick with regular carbon steel bolts, use never-seize,,,, even if they break off, drill, heat, extract ,,,, worse comes to worse, you can just torch them off, drill new holes, tap and install new bolts an inch over from the old ones. Can't do that with stainless. Plus the cost .....

Of course if you can get to the other side, and use nuts, don't really matter either way .....

Obviously, I'm just a hack-artist, you shouldn't be listening to anything I say .....

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No access to the back side. Ill be drilling and tapping the I beam crossmembers that support the wood floor above.(Imagine a 2X4 stud wall that is open on one side now but will be sheet rocked.) I wont be using a torch on anything because Im attaching light weight plastic sheets. I think pop rivets would crush the plastic material. Does anyone make a plastic bolt?

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No access to the back side. Ill be drilling and tapping the I beam crossmembers that support the wood floor above.(Imagine a 2X4 stud wall that is open on one side now but will be sheet rocked.) I wont be using a torch on anything because Im attaching light weight plastic sheets. I think pop rivets would crush the plastic material. Does anyone make a plastic bolt?

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Ive decided to make a template so I can drill the holes in the same place on each crossmember. Im then going to tap the holes and screw the bolts in from the top with Loctite. Ill then hold the sheets in place with nylon fasteners from the bottom. Then if things get stuck a quick whack with a chisel will have the nut off.

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In the marine enviourment,probably one of the worst were almost all of the galling problems I've run across have been stainless to stainless.Stainless into something different, mild steel,silicon bronze has been very rare. Use the never seize too, If not available white axle grease , no metal ingredients.